(a) Motion; limitation. Except upon agreement of the parties:

(1) A party wishing to propound interrogatories must file a motion under § 45.41(c); and

(2) A party may propound no more than 25 interrogatories, counting discrete subparts as separate interrogatories, unless the ALJ approves a higher number upon a showing of good cause.

(b) ALJ order. The ALJ will issue an order under § 45.41(b) with respect to any discovery motion requesting the use of written interrogatories. The order will:

(1) Grant the motion and approve the use of some or all of the proposed interrogatories; or

(2) Deny the motion.

(c) Answers to interrogatories. Except upon agreement of the parties, the party to whom the proposed interrogatories are directed must file its answers to any interrogatories approved by the ALJ within 15 days after issuance of the order under paragraph (b) of this section.

(1) Each approved interrogatory must be answered separately and fully in writing.

(2) The party or its representative must sign the answers to interrogatories under oath or affirmation.

(d) Access to records. A party's answer to an interrogatory is sufficient when:

(1) The information may be obtained from an examination of records, or from a compilation, abstract, or summary based on such records;

(2) The burden of obtaining the information from the records is substantially the same for all parties;

(3) The answering party specifically identifies the individual records from which the requesting party may obtain the information and where the records are located; and

(4) The answering party provides the requesting party with reasonable opportunity to examine the records and make a copy, compilation, abstract, or summary.